If you’ve got something to celebrate, even if it’s just life itself, it’s worth investing in a little luxury. This one is for the gourmets out there – we’ll show you specialist seafood cutlery, and the best gadgets for taming exotic fruit. And if you happen to be in Bali, we know how to make your stay even sweeter.

Treasure from the sea: Lobster, caviar and more

“I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.” Oscar Wilde loved luxurious foods and celebrated them accordingly. Many of us are still fascinated by the ritual of opening shellfish. Gourmet tools such as tongs, lobster forks and oyster knives help us access the delicious flesh inside while evidencing our culinary etiquette. The general rule is: if you are serving champagne, it’s very stylish to serve seafood alongside it, film star fashion. Making a big, Oscar-winning appearance here is the gold caviar spoon from Arthur Price, and the practical caviar cooler – both of which would be at home in Hollywood. If you thought fan mussels were only tasty when cooked by star chefs, this mussel pan by Zwilling will make you think again. It’s a cast-iron beauty that is specially designed for cooking mussel dishes, and no self-respecting host should be without one.

Not too hot, not too cold

Of course, for fine dining there’s no such thing as ‘just salt’. For foodies, salt is pink! Shiny pink chunks, broken from Himalayan hillsides, are the most authentic way of preparing meat and fish indulgently. If you heat it on the hob or bake it in the oven, this block of crystal salt can be used as a griddle, adding salt and important trace elements to your food as it gently tenderises. At a time when good, honest, sustainable pleasures are increasingly sought-after, natural materials, too, are very much in demand because of their centuries-old established properties. Stoneware and slate platters – the latter known for their excellent cold storage – offer a perfect blend of natural authenticity and culinary sophistication. Recently, even the finest lobsters have been served on chunky plates and slate, revealing a relaxed approach to convention as practised in high-end restaurants.

Little luxuries

What could make us happier than tasting our way through life’s pleasures? Culinary luxuries can be compared to an orchestra, in which even the tiniest instrument speaks to our emotions and can achieve technical mastery. In the kitchen we can grate and peel with little effort, using precise micro-incisions which intensify flavours and aromas. There are many kitchen helpers available to play these roles when required: why peel garlic when you can gently roll it in silicone? Magnetic trivets stay stuck to pots and pans. A patented insert by Eva Solo makes this oil carafe drip-free. Kitchen aids and smart gadgets simplify many tasks and remind us daily that saving time is the real luxury.

Rebel with a sugar rush

A dessert at the end of a meal can be a restaurant’s signature dish. But New York-born Will Goldfarb has taken the idea further, and has developed an unusual concept in Bali that’s taking the world by storm. In his restaurant Room4Dessert, with its cool, cave-like interior, the menu features only sweet temptations. They have mysterious names like Ghostface or Jitterbug Perfume. This famous pastry chef serves cakes from the oven alongside grilled papaya, or mixes radicchio with chocolate stracciatella. Since he and other pro bakers have been celebrating the sweeter side of life on Netflix and other streaming platforms, home bakers have become increasingly ambitious. The sky’s the limit, as they follow the stars of their craft, experimenting with stylish, sought-after gourmet tools – like serving boards with scrapers to make chocolate rosettes, or Unold’s cake maker: a machine which works without an oven. This baking craze shows no sign of ending!